Journey To the Mount of Legends
by Kimimaro016
Summary: Just how far will Tobe go to get his vengeance on Garu?
1. Chapter 1

As the sun began to raise over Shooga Forest the sweet, peaceful sound of an erhu echoed up over the trees and morning dew, emanating from the forest's lone house. Garu sat on his front porch next to a plate of donut holes and a cup of hot green tea. With closed eyes he moved his fingers skillfully over his instrument, calmly playing the notes of his relaxation. A cool breeze blew over the island making the trees sway in a tranquil way, as the smell of ocean salt water drifted around the still warming up island. The serenity remained unbroken when the sliding door behind Garu opened and closed, and the sound of little footsteps kept time in his melody. A boy that resembled Garu in almost every way walked towards him. While Garu was dressed fully however, he was still in his sleeping close; a light blue pajama top with shurikens scattered around it and briefs to match. He sat down next to Garu as he finished his song, occasionally stealing a few of Garu's donuts. When Garu was done playing the two sat in silence. "Wow," The younger Garu look a like said. "That's so beautiful. I wish that I could play like you big brother." Garu smiled, his eyes still shut. He took in a deep breath and held it in for a moment, before letting his body relax and opening his eyes. "I came out here hoping that you'd tie my hair up for me. I just came out of a bath." Garu sighed and stood up and walked back into the house. And his little brother fallowed. Garu stopped at a door painted blue with the name Gura on the door, hand painted with two swords painted under it. As Garu recalled as he opened the door and stepped in, Ching had painted that on the door for Gura's last birthday; the big six. Once inside Garu grabbed two blue ribbons from the top of sticker-covered obviously little kid's dresser and tied Gura's pig tails like his own. "Thanks Garu." Gura walked over to his dresser, pulling off his pajama shirt and putting on an outfit that looked just like his older brother's, only the gloves and heart where blue. Garu exited his brother's bedroom and walked back down the hallway and into the kitchen. Opening the refrigerator, Garu pulled out the eggs, ham, and cheese, setting them on the counter and whistling his erhu song. Back in Gura's room the boy sat alone on his bed clutching a teddy bear in his arms. "Stupid vow of silence." He mumbled, squeezing the stuffed toy tightly as if it was it's fault. "Why did Garu have to go and take some stupid vow of silence? If he didn't want to talk to anyone anymore he could have just said so. How honorable is never telling your girl friend or your little brother that you love them?" His small body shook a little. "It's not honorable at all." He lifted the plushie to his face and buried it in it, crying softly. Outside the bedroom window his cry did not go unnoticed. Garu's arch enemy Tobe crouched down underneath the open window, listening. "So if Garu's little brother wants Garu to speak to him so badly, then maybe I can help." Tobe laughed and Gura sat up. "W-who's there?!" He looked around the room and when he saw no one his young naive eyes focused on the teddy bear still locked tightly in his arms. "Mr. Snuggie?" Gura asked wide-eyed. "Yes, that's right, I'm your teddy bear." Tobe lied, trying his hardest not to laugh. "What's so funny?" Gura asked the toy. "Oh, nothing," Tobe grinned. "I just remembered something I heard on South Park last night. Heh, donkey boner." Tobe chuckled stupidly. "What's a 'donkey boner?" Gura asked innocently. "I'll explain later. It's wasn't that funny anyway." Tobe smirked deviously, getting comfortable in his hiding place under the window. "So you want Garu to tell you how much he loves you, right?" Gura's eyes lit up brightly. "Uh huh! You can do that for me?!" Gura asked excitedly. "Sure thing kid. After all, I'm mister saggie." Tobe propped his head up on his arm. "Mr. Snuggie." Gura corrected. "Whatever." Tobe said. "So, you give me some time to think about this, and I'll have Garu talking in no time." Tobe laughed. "Oh thank you Mr. Snuggie!" Gura said, hugging the bear tightly. "Are you sure that it wont hurt Garu's honor?" Gura asked the toy as he pulled it away from his chest. "Sure, sure." Tobe said getting up and dusting himself off. "Not talking to people isn't honorable. You said so yourself." Tobe pointed out. "See you later kid." Tobe started to walk off until Gura spoke up. "But Mr. Snuggie, where are you going?" He asked. "Put me on the bookshelf!" Tobe called back in a high-pitched voice. Gura giggled and sat the stuffed animal down on the bookshelf. One almost silent bell rang out from the kitchen. "Gotta go Mr. Snuggie, that bell means food." Gura ran into the kitchen and took his set across from Garu's. "Thank you!" Gura exclaimed before digging into his ham and cheese omelet. "This is my best plan ever." Tobe laughed wickedly, heading back towards his house. "Ninjas!" He called, and then appeared. "Bring me, the book!" Tobe said ominously. From inside a chest that two ninjas had to carry came an all black book, leather bound with the word "Sandman" stitched in red thread across the cover. "With this book Garu, you will speak, and I will have my vengeance!" He laughed louder still, and his confused ninjas laughed along with him.


	2. Chapter 2

Garu and Gura ate their breakfast silently. The clock on the wall ticked softly, and the only sound to be heard was the sound of chewing. The silence was broken by Gura's bold question. "What's a donkey boner?" Garu coiffed and pounded his chest. "I know you can't tell me, but can you show me?" He asked. Garu's pupils dilated in a horrified 'no!', before catching his breath and shaking his head. Gura sighed as Garu lifted his glass of orange juice to his lips, taking a long drink and downing the glass. Garu breathed heavily as he lifted his and his brother's empty plates and carried them to the sink. "I'll wash those," Gura offered. Garu smiled and nodded, slipping his shoes on and heading out the door. "Good luck today!" Gura called as Garu left. Gura looked at the paper attached to the 'fridge with a magnet. "Ninja test today." He read out loud. "Turtle Training Hall." Gura stared at the flyer on the door for a long time before he started on the dishes. Outside of Garu's house Tobe and three ninjas waited. Each ninja carried something in his hand, and Tobe carried the book. The first ninja had Garu's toothbrush; the second a baby rabbit. And the third ninja held a knife with a skull with red gems for eyes in his hands. Tobe read the book out loud. "Talking command: Requires the sacrifice of one baby rabbit, and the reaper's knife, along with something that the victim touches often. Garu's toothbrush." Tobe laughed manically and the ninjas shrugged. "Cut open the rabbit with the knife and insert the toothbrush!" Tobe commanded. "But I don't wanna hurt the bunny." The ninja with the knife whined. "I'm warning you now, if you don't kill that bunny I'll-" The ninja stopped Tobe's threat and cut down the middle of the rabbit. "Goodbye bunny." The ninja moaned tearfully. The fresh young blood of the rabbit that ran down the knife made the blade turn a sickly crimson color, and the skulls mouth opened and let out a gasp of air. Quickly the other ninja jammed the toothbrush into the rabbit's open mid-section. "Oh bunny." The knife ninja moaned again. Tobe rolled his eyes and lifted the book back up to his face. "Alright, here goes." Tobe cracked his knuckles quietly. "Garu, Garu, speak to me. Anything that comes to mind; anything that you feel. Anything that you think, let it drain from your mouth like a speaker, and the world listening intently." The sky above them began to darken, and the wind picked up speed, dropping the temperature of the air to almost freezing. "Garu, enemy of mine who's right and just in thinking so, let your torment be know threw out the land, that you're under my command, and your shame be wrought threw you like a spear. Speak your mind and inner most thoughts, say the things that you would never, and speak your true feelings with the forking of lies, let your mind be my open book that covers the world in my vengeance!" Tobe shouted as thunder strikes the land around him. Suddenly the bunny holding ninja and the toothbrush ninja hit the grass beneath them, dead. Their necks cut open as blood began jetting out of them like a fountain, turning the green grass below them an dark red. "What's going on?!■ The knife ninja screamed. "Silly mortals," The skull on top the knife laughed. "You must take your prey to the mount of legends, before the spell can work." And then the world was silent, and normal. 


	3. Chapter 3

The ninja dropped the knife quickly and grabbed onto Tobe. "Let go of me!" Tobe snapped. The ninja let go but didn't go far. Tobe picked up the knife and slipped it into where his sword would be kept, mumbling something about him being a baby. "Are they...?" The ninja asked in awe. "Yeah." Tobe exhaled. "They where some of my best ninjas." Tobe commented. The ninja grabbed on to Tobe again, hugging his mentor tightly. "They where my friends." He whined. "Would you just stop it already!" Tobe shouted, pushing the ninja off. "We should say a moment of silence." Tobe didn't have the energy to ask how one says silence, instead he just bowed his head and counted to thirty in his mind. When he picked his head up he saw the ninja pulling the mask of his head. Short orange hair like that of a scarecrow's flopped down over his pale blue eyes. His skin was a light tan and his checks where stroon with freckles. Without his mask you could see that he was just a child, maybe ten or eleven. He took a tissue out of his pocket and whipped at his nose. "Put your mask back on!" The ninja held his mask in his hand by his side. "I want to pay them their respects." He explained. "Respect me and put your mask back on!" Tobe shouted. The ninja slipped the fabric over his head again. "Goodbye Robbie; Cassey." The ninja said mournfully. "What's the matter with you, we don't use names." Tobe walked up to the ninjas. "Even if they where loyal ninjas." Tobe unsheathed the dead ninjas swords and jammed them into the ground in front of where they fell. "You have a name." The ninja said softly. "Do you want to join them?" Tobe asked him, not turning around. "No master Tobe." He said honestly. "We have to get Garu to this Mount of Legends place, but how?" Tobe asked aloud. He looked around the area and that's when he saw his answer. The property around Garu's house was vacant, except for Gura outside watering the plants. "That boy's the key to my vengeance!" Tobe exclaimed, rushing back towards the house. "Quickly, we need to steal his teddy bear." The ninja blinked, then fallowed. Bent down underneath his bedroom window Gura pulled weeds out from around the base of the house. Inside his bedroom Tobe and the ninja snuck over to the bookshelf and grabbed his teddy bear. The ninja hid under the bed while Tobe crouched down under the window, placing the toy on the window sill. "Gura..." Tobe moaned, moving the bear slightly. "Mr. Snuggie?" Gura asked, looking up. "Yes, that is me, Mr. Snuggie." Tobe lied with a grin. "You must take me to the Mount of Ledges and wait for Garu to join us." Gura blinked and stood up. "Why?" He asked as he set the watering can down by his feet. "Because if we do, then Garu will talk to us again." Gura nodded. "That's sounds great! I'll go wash up." Gura ran around the house to the front door. "Quickly," Tobe said, slipping under the bed. "Write down a ransom note. If Garu doesn't climb to the top of the Mount of Legends, then he'll never see Gura again!" Tobe laughed. "Do you have a pen?" The ninja questioned weekly. "No. Why would I carry a pen around with me?" Tobe responded. "For writing ransom notes?" The ninja replied. Gura walked into the room at this point, a blue backpack over his back. "Let's go Mr. Snuggie." He cheered, grabbing the bear and slipping it into the backpack. "Toss a pen under the bed." The ninja said in a high-pitched voice. "Mr. Snuggie?" Gura questioned unsure. Tobe faced reddened, biting his lower lip as his eyes bulged out of his head. But sure enough a pen soon came rolling under the bed. "Now let's go!" Gura exclaimed. "You better go to the bathroom first Gura, you wouldn't want to have to go while where out." Tobe said threw clenched teeth. "Alright." The boy begin walking off when 'Mr. Snuggie' interjected. "You better leave me here. That's not something that a teddy bear needs to see." Gura's face reddened a little as he sat the pack down on his bed. "Ok." He rushed off to the bathroom as Tobe smacked the ninja. "Ow! What was that for?" He whined as they got out of the bed. "This gullible child's only big enough for one Mr. Sappie." Tobe brushed himself off. "It's Mr. Snuggie." The ninja corrected. "Whatever. It's not like I really have to know anyway. I mean, it's not like he talks in the third person or anything." The ninja set the note down on Gura's pillow as Tobe tossed the bear from the backpack. "Now here's the plan: You quickly - QUICKLY - run back to the house and change into your normal close, then you RUN back here as Gura's guide. And bring this." Tobe said, handing the ninja his knife. "Can I leave the mask at home?" He asked and Tobe nodded. "Can I use my real name?" He asked excitedly. "Can't you just make something up instead?" Tobe asked. The ninja's eyes widened as he batted his eye lashes. Tobe cringed. "Alright, alright. Just don't do that again." He bounced in place as Tobe made hand signs. "Oh, thank you master Snuggie!" The ninja grabbed the real Mr. Snuggie and jumped out the window, just as Tobe's transformations jutsu finished. He settled himself down where Gura left him, just as the boy walked back into the room. "Alright Mr. Snuggie, let's get moving!" He said, sliding the backpack back over his back. "We're going to need a guide." Tobe said as Gura opened the front door. Standing in the doorway was the ninja, his cheeks a mass of freckles, dressed in a short-sleeved orange shirt with blue stripes on the sleeves and short kaki pants and sneakers. He blinked his big blue eyes twice at Gura and Tobe rolled his. "Um, hello?" Gura asked shyly. "Hello!" The ninja smiled and Gura's eyes fixed on his missing tooth. "I'm an advancer guide!" He said happily. "I'm going on an advancer!" Gura smiled back. "Do you wanna be my guide?" Gura asked the ninja. "Yeah, do I!" The ninja nodded. Tobe pulled on his overstuffed face. "My name's Gura, what's your?" The ninja extended a hand to his master's enemy▓s kid brother. "I'm a Stevie." He said cutely. Gura giggled. "Let's head out!" Stevie said, motioning like Dora with his arm. "Right! Oh, and this is my teddy bear Mr. Snuggie!" Gura turned around to show Stevie the bear. Tobe looked more like Deady then Mr. Snuggie, but still Stevie took the toy's hand and shook it. "Hello Mr. Snuggie." He giggled. And the three started on their journey. It wasn't long after the team left did Garu arrive back home. As Garu walked towards his house he noticed the watering can still outside. He opened the door and looked around. The house was empty. He walked nervously to Gura's door, grabbing the knob with his red gloved hand and pulling it open. Nothing. He ran over to Gura's bed and read the note. In his hand he crumpled up the paper as a burning look overtook his teary eyes. He tossed the paper aside and set out, for the Mount of Legends. But first, he knew he needed help. The kind of help that only a best friend can offer. 


	4. Chapter 4

garu's balled up hand knocked hard on the back door of bruce's police station. he stood outside impatiently tapping his foot, a black bag draped over his right arm. abyo opened the door and garu trusted the mangled paper at him. "tobe has kidnapped your little brother!" abyo exclaimed. garu nodded sternly. "and he's holding him on top of mount of legends!?" garu nodded again. "just one question," abyo began, slipping his shoes on. "where's the mount of legends?" garu handed him a map. "oh!" abyo looked the paper over before handing it back to garu. "well what are we waiting for, let's go!" garu nodded and the two headed off in the direction that tobe had. meanwhile tobe, gura, and stevie where still climbing up the mountain s evil-looking left side. gura and stevie where loudly singing. "that you where romeo you where throwing pebbles and my daddy's said stay away from juliet, and i was crying on the staircase, begging you please don't go!" tobe reached into the backpack unnoticed and pulled out two crayons, jamming them into his ears. "romeo take me somewhere we can be alone, i'll be waiting, all we have to do is run, you'll be the prince and i'll be the princesses, it's a love story baby just say yes!" gura and stevie weren t even on key, loudly singing as their voices penetrated the crayons' wax in tobe's ears. "enough!" tobe yelled, and the boys stopped short and turn, silent. "please, alright?" tobe yanked the crayons out of his ears. "mr. snuggie?" stevie questioned. "please stop singing that song, i can't take it any more! i've colored my brain blue and orange for crying out loud! please sing a different song." tobe moaned. "ok!" gura beamed. the two kids took in a deep breath and started walking again. "in dead on night, when strangers roam, the streets in search of anyone who'll take them home! i lie awake, the clock strikes three, and anyone who wanted to could contact me! in dead of night, til break of day, endless thoughts and questions keep me awake, it's much to late!" the boys shouted happily. "ok, ok, stop." tobe interrupted. "i was singing the robbie williams version." stevie said softly. "that's not what i meant. sing a different song, one that we all like." tobe tried his hardest not to upset his bait, or drive the ninja to blowing their cover. "ok mr. snuggie, what kind of music do you like?" gura asked. stevie smiled as if to show off the tooth he was missing. "i like the cure. maybe you guys could sing the lovecats or something." tobe suggested. "what's the cure?" gura asked stevie. "i'm not sure. i've heard that name before somewhere..." stevie shrugged. "oh, i know!" gura smiled, whispering in stevie's ear. they grinned ear to ear and took in another deep breath. "baby girl what's your name, lemme talk to ya, lemme buy you a drink, i'm not t-pain, you know me,-!" "no no no!" tobe shouted from his spot strapped to the backpack. "what's the matter mr. snuggie?" gura asked, turning his head around to look at his "toy". "not nickasaur please!" stevie's face reddened a little bit. "he's my new favorite." he said softly. "ok you know what, fine! sing anything you guys wanna sing, i'll be back here singing my own song!" gura and stevie shrugged, but kept walking. "you are my fire, my one desire, believe when i say, that i want it that way!" tobe cleared his through in the background. "i waited hours for this, i made myself so sick i wish i stayed asleep today, i never thought this day would end, i never thought tonight would ever be, this close to me." as tobe sang the boys in front of him grew louder. "tell me why, ain t nothing but a heartache, tell me why, ain t nothing but a mistake, tell me why, i never wanna hear you say, i want it that way!" they practically screamed ahead of him, and while tobe's voice got louder, it was still no match for theirs. "but if i had the faith, then i could make it safe and clean, if only i was sure, that my head on the door was a dream." tobe's voice was drowned out and overpowered by gura's and stevie's out of tune singing. "i am your fire, your one desire, yes i know it's too late, but i want it that way!" tobe stopped singing and sighed. "alright, alright you win. keep singing n'snyc." tobe put his head down. "you mean backstreet boys." gura corrected. "and besides it's nickasaur." stevie added. the two began singing again, this time louder then ever. tobe, who didn't think that was possible, just sat there quietly and scowled. "this is gonna be one hell of a trip." he mumbled. 


	5. Chapter 5

down at the base of the mountain garu and abyo scaled the peak overlooking the valley of darkness. "spooky." abyo finally said. garu nodded, looking around at the dead trees and shrubs lining the pathway up the steep incline. large rocks and boulders dotted the path like buttons on a demonic gingerbread house. garu gulped and exhaled from deep within his lunges. "are you sure tobe's up there somewhere? he doesn't seem that skilled." garu only nodded again, his dark colored eyes fixed on the blazing sun watching them from the easter basket blue sky. the clouds above them moved slowly, if at all, as if to beckon them closer, up the mountain towards them, like a siren's call. in garu's heart he knew he must climb and save his brother, though in his stomach he now only felt fear. fear and the sensing the death and sorrow. a faint breeze blew threw him and ripped at his face, mocking him with it's invisible yet scornful hands. he nodded, assuring himself that he would be alright, then started his way up the treacherous path towards his doom. no, not his doom; his kid brother. he couldn't think of it that way. he knew in his own mind that now wasn't the time to remember the rumors or think about that danger - stay away sign that they passed not that long ago. now was only the time to think about his brother, and convince himself that only tobe was in any real danger, that he and his best friend weren t in any danger. he lied to himself over and over again, but he was too smart to believe. "doesn't this place just give you the creeps?" abyo asked, keeping a steady pace behind garu. he didn't nod, he only kept his eyes focused ahead of them, a determined look over his pupils like sunglasses darkening his eyes. he was determined not to give into his fear and to save his brother, who he hoped hadn't caved in under tobe's evil tricks. no, he couldn't think like that now. he couldn't let his mind wander off into the dark place that almost echoed his surroundings. he could only think of walking up this path that seemed to be landscaped by steven king himself, and on dealing with tobe after he knew that gura was alright. still a good half way up the walk tobe masqueraded as mr. snuggie, gura and travel guide stevie walked in silence. tobe was begging to drift off went an ominous wind picked up, threatening to rip up the decaying plants and hurl them at the passerby s. "watch yourself." tobe warned. the wind rocked and pulled at the stones, making it harder and harder to continue. suddenly the heaven's opened up, spilling warm rain water down on them like a bathtub beginning to fill. the dirt underneath them started to turn to mud, as they slipped and slid in the wind storm. a single bolt of lightning crashed down in front of them, and stevie shrieked. "quickly you fools, there is a cave passageway a little up and over to the left. go in there and live to make me work!" a cackling voice from within stevie's backpack howled, and they did as they where told, pulling themselves upwards and over to the open mouth of the cave, dark and wide like the mouth of a monster, with jagged stalagmites and stalactites emitting from the gapping hole in the stone. the inside the dark and damp, again much like a mouth. "that was close." tobe said, whipping his brow. "good work stevie." gura congratulated his newfound friend. "i think i wet my pants." he moaned. "did anyone else hear him?" gura and tobe exchanged glances. "hear who stevie?" gura asked. "must have been the wind." tobe said honestly. "maybe you're right..." stevie thought. "walk threw the cave quickly, before it rejects your miserable souls!" commanded the knife once more. "there it is again!" stevie cried. "i didn't hear anything." gura said curiously. "again, the wind." tobe said firmly. the walls of the cave shook softly, as if the monster's mouth was stirring. "i think we better move quickly." stevie said, running to the otherside of the cave. gura fallowed after him, not that far behind. as they ran the cave walls moved violently, shaking side to side almost like they where going to fall in on them. "i see a light!" gura pointed out, and they rushed for it. a musty old fowl smelling gust of air bombarded their noises with it's warm rotten smell. before anyone could say anything a loud moaning echoed around them, bouncing off the moist walls. they ran faster, but gura's speed was still no match for stevie's finer tuned ninja training. "let's get outta here!" stevie screamed, grabbing onto gura's hand and pulling them forward. they ran and ran until they where outside the tunnel like cave. they stopped, taking in the cool breeze of spring and the warmth of the sunlight. panting and sweating stevie looked up at gura in a similar hands-on-his-knees poise and smiled. "shall we go on?" 


	6. Chapter 6

garu and abyo continued their way up the path before them, only occasionally accompanied by the far off sounds of birds chirping or leaves rustling. as they came to the same stop where gura and stevie struggled against the wind, the sky above them darkened. "that can't be go." abyo said in awe. just like with the others before them the wind picked up speed and force, once more lifting the trees and other dead foliage from along the pathway and ripped it up into the sky. thinking quickly garu motioned with his arm to abyo and the duo headed for the shelter of the monster cave's welcoming mouth. once inside they kept on moving towards the light at the end of the tunnel. and just like before the cave's mouth began to admit tremors and quakes and grumble, as the stone's bad breath smashed into them and assaulted their noises. but garu did not fear the cave like the others, and that was more to say about him then could be said about abyo. garu did not fear the cave and kept walking forward, even when the moaning became louder. "aren't you scared?" abyo asked, clutching his friend's arm and squeezing it tightly. "he is afraid, but yet he still keeps moving. why do i not scare you?" the cave's deep voice boomed and echoed off the walls and into their ears. "cuz garu doesn't fear anything!" abyo spoke up. "how!?" the voice bellowed. "because he's a ninja! a fearless ninja!" abyo defended, letting go of garu's arm. garu only smiled, but his brows remained furrowed. "and you wanna know something!?" abyo shouted. "not really." the cave responded. "if garu's not afraid of you, then neither am i!" abyo stood proudly, puffing out his chest towards one wall of the cave. a face like that of death jetted out of the stone and shrieked an ear piercing wail at him. no wait, that was abyo. outside the cave's walls abyo let go of garu's arm again, as the two stood triumphantly outside of their danger. little did they know however, although they where out of the cave, they weren't out of the woods. yet. higher up then our heroes still walked stevie and gura, threw a dead meadow of sharp thorny vines. tobe tapped his four fingers impatiently on the backpack's strap. "look a bridge!" one of them pointed out. tobe had long since lost interest in their conversations not only because they where kiddish and boring, but because their voices had somehow seamlessly blended together and it was now difficult for the half dozing ninja to keep them straight. as they walked up to the wooden planks of the bridge the dirt below them rumbled. "you can not pass unless i say so!" a voice roared as the wooden steps on the bridge covered in vines. "will you please let us pass?" stevie asked sweetly. "no!" the voice barked, slapping stevie across the face with a thorny vine. pushed back he sat on his rear, tears welling up in his eyes as fresh blood dripped down and fell into the dry dirt below them. "stevie!" gura shouted, rushing to his friend's side. "no one may pass unless they can make me happy!" the voice said, it's loudness shaking the bridge itself. "how can we make you...happy?" tobe cringed. "simple and easy. play with me a game of chance!" the vines on the bridge lifted up, making a smiling face. "if you bet me, i will help you in anyway i can. if you lose however, i will use you as my test subject." the vines contorted themselves into what appeared to be a scalpel, before returning to normal. "come play the vine game with me!" gura helped stevie up. "alright, sure." he said, rubbing his face. "crap." tobe muttered. "craps!" the voice screamed. "you wanna play craps! but i don't have any dice ya'nimward! where would a plant get dice?! jackass." the vines formed the shape of a donkey and stevie and gura giggled. "how do you play?" gura asked. "simple and easy!" the vines replied. "all you have to do, is guess my weakness!" the vines snapped back into a place on the bridge, their razor like thorns poking up everywhere. "you have three tries." gura nodded. "one for each of us." he said softly. the three thought for a moment. "is it fire?" gura asked. "no! two more tries left!" the vine boomed. "is it ice?" stevie inquired. "one try left!" tobe nodded, his small stuffed hand on his chin. "insects? is it insects?" tobe asked, and the vines recoiled. "not too many people guess that right, you may pass now. as long as you are on this mountain, i will grant you one request, of anything you wish." and with that the thorns retracted back into the vines, and they crossed the bridge without anymore eerie voices. for now. 


	7. Chapter 7

as the sun began to set, garu and abyo hiked their way up the trail towards the bridge. like with the others, thorny vines wrapped themselves around the wooden planks. "you can not pass unless i say so!" the loud voice of the vines boomed. "well say so!" abyo shouted back. "i'll let you pass, but only if you play a game with me." the voice replied. garu and abyo exchanged curios glances. "fine, fine. how do you play?" abyo asked. "simple and easy!" the vines shook once more, forming again into a face. "you must guess my weakness! you have three tries. get it right, and i will help you on this mountain to the best of my abilities. get it wrong, and i think i'll curse you." garu looked at abyo, an irritated look on his face. "alright," abyo thought. "i'll go first. is your weakness, fire?" the vines shook side to side. "no! two more tries." garu looked up in thought. "how about animals eating you?" abyo asked. both garu and the vines shook their heads. "no! last chance." garu reached down into the dirt below, searching for a bug. "do you know garu?" abyo asked, watching his friend. garu nodded and lifted a worm. "oh, i get it!" abyo smiled, grabbing the worm. "your weakness is worms!" garu grunted, shaking his head. "the kids right," the vines said. "i will let you go now, but i will return to fulfill my promise of a curse." and with that, the thorns in the vines sucked back into the plant, just as the sun was setting. darker still up the climb gura and stevie settled down under a large willow tree. "why are we stopping?" tobe asked the tired boys. "it's getting late," gura said, taking off his backpack and unzipping it. from inside the bag he took out three six inch subs. "i thought we'd stop and eat." tobe nodded, grabbing a sub. "fine, but then we keep moving." stevie settled himself down ageist the tree trunk. "agreed." he said softly. gura picked up his sandwich and bit into it. tobe opened up his ham and cheese sub, pulling out the pickles and tossing them aside. "you don't like pickles mr. snuggie?" gura asked. tobe shook his head. "not in a ham sandwich." he said, biting back into his dinner. "stevie, don't you want something to eat?" gura questioned, turning to look at his new friend. stevie was slumped over still leaning on the base of the old willow tree in the dark. "are you alright? stevie?" gura moved over to him, nudging him gently with his elbow. stevie didn't move, only sat there, his eyes only slits in his face. "mr. snuggie, something wrong with stevie!" gura cried, grabbing the teddy bear from his spot under the tree, tobe's food falling to the cold hard dirt below. "what's the matter?" tobe asked, walking over and feeling stevie's forehead. "stevie can you hear me?!" gura shouted, tears welling up in the young boy's eyes. "i hurt so much..." stevie moaned softly. "your scaring me!" gura cried, taking stevie's hand in his own. "do something mr. snuggie!" he sobbed as the wind blew softly threw the tree above them. tobe moved his over stuffed left paw over the young ninjas face. the red lines where the thorns had scratched him where swollen, puffy and dark infected purple. "he's poisoned. he doesn't look so good." tobe said quietly. every word and every sound that gura heard now seemed miles away. "is he dy-" gura couldn't let himself finish, he only buried his face him stevie's chest. "yeah." tobe muttered in disbelief. the only sounds now that filled the clearing with the tree, where the sounds of the wind calling to them, and the howling of gura's tears. "i have to do something." tobe said softly, jumping down from stevie's neck where he stood and began rummaging threw the boy's backpack. "stevie..." the dark and malevolent voice of the knife beckoned. "i can ease your pain..." he hissed, breaking free of his hiding spot in the boys over sized right pocket. stevie weakly look up at the knife that only he could hear. "take me now stevie, end your pain. all you have to do is jab me into your chest, and everything will be ok..." the knife soothed, hypnotizing the young child with it's false promises and lies. "i told him to back a first aid kit, so where is it?" tobe mumbled frustrated searching threw stevie's bag. the boy's hand reached out and clasped the knife. "easy now child," the knife whispered. "it's only a matter of time until your pain is gone forever..." stevie gripped firmly onto the knife's handle, lifting it into the air higher then it was before. "steady boy..." it hushed. gura looked up just in time to see the knife come crashing down towards him and stevie's heart. 


	8. Chapter 8

Thinking quickly Gura grabbed the knife's blade and pulled it out of Stevie's hand. Gura's blood ran down the knife and into the dry dirt under them. Tobe turned around, watching as Gura gripped his hand and winced in pain as his cut open palm leaked fresh young blood. The ground below them shook violently as the rich green stocks of thorn less vines sprung up and wrapped around Stevie's frame. "He won't die." The vines said. "I will remove his poison." Tobe sat down next to the backpack, breathing heavily a sigh of relief. The vines wrapped themselves around Stevie's body, glowing slightly and pulsating as a faint hissing sound from inside them rang out like a bottle of soda being opened. When the vines parted Stevie appeared to be sleeping soundly, the freckles on his face moving in time with the sounds of his steady breathing. The vines slowly returned into the dirt and the three where alone once more. "What a relief." Gura sighed, resting back on the tree truck. "You said it." Tobe agreed. In the silence the wind whispered down at them and the tree swayed back and forth under the virgin light of the full moon. "Can we keep going?" Tobe asked. Gura nudged Stevie, who moaned softly and sat up. "Mr. Snuggie says we gotta keep moving." Gura said softly. "Are you ok?" He asked as Stevie rubbed his head. "I'm fine. I'm not really sure what happened. I was in so much pain on second, and then suddenly, I wake up and I'm fine. I had the weirdest dream ever. Stuff was talking to me..." Stevie sat up, still a little groggy and slipped his backpack over his shoulder. "Do you have a first aid kit?" Gura asked, showing Stevie the wound in his palm. "Yeah I-" Stevie thought, then looked at Tobe who angrily shook his head. "Whoops. I was supposed to bring one, but I got side tracked." He said sheepishly. "But I know what to do!" Stevie exclaimed, bending down and ripping a piece of his pants off and tying it around Gura's hand. "There! All better!" Stevie beamed, and Gura smiled back. Tobe cracked a few joints in his back and stretched. "Let's go." He said impatiently. They headed out once more, back up the torturous mountain side towards the top, where Tobe's evil plain would spring somehow into action. In the darkness Garu and Abyo entered the same small clearing with the willow tree, where his brother and Tobe where only moments ago. "Garu, can we take a breather?" Abyo asked, slouching down against the tree. Garu nodded, sitting down next to him. "Look at the moon," Abyo said softly. "It's so big and bright from here." He said in awe. Garu stared up at the full moon, but still could only think about Gura. "It's so pretty." Abyo whispered. Garu nodded and put his head down. "Well find Gura." Abyo said emotionlessly staring at the moon. Garu picked his head up and turned to his friend. "Don't worry Garu. We'll find your kid brother. I promise." Abyo's eyes remained locked on the moon, and Garu's eyes on Abyo. In the silence a cool breeze blow past them and the tree waved down at them. The two got up and stretched. "Alright, let's go." Abyo said in a disappointed voice. Garu smiled and nodded, feeling refreshed as he walked next to Abyo under the moon light, up the hill towards the top. Towards Gura. Towards Tobe's evil plain. 


	9. Chapter 9

Under the light of the full moon Tobe's master plain truly began. "We're here!" Stevie shouted. At the top of the mountain Gura and Stevie looked around at the one dead tree and the large flat round rock next to it. "This is it?" Gura asked in disbelief. "Now you must recite the spell again." The knife hissed in Tobe's ear. "But what about Gura?" Tobe whispered. "There is a pound at the lip of the peak, pass the tree and where you'll be standing, waters just out of ear and eyes shot, there they can play and you can too." The knife said, floating around Tobe's head before flying off and landing on the rock. "Gura, Stevie!" Tobe said and the boys turned. "You've both done such a great job climbing up this hill, why don't you go over past the rock and down a little to a pond and play there while I finish my plain." Tobe lied, jumping out of Gura's backpack strap and heading over to the rock. "You gotta plain Mr. Snuggie?" Gura asked. "Sure I do! Now you two go play over there. I have some important, teddy bear things to attend to." Gura nodded and he and Stevie raced down the side of the peak to where they found a small pond. "Awesome!" Stevie said. "Last one in's a rotten egg!" Gura exclaimed, and the two quickly started undressing. Back up top the peak Tobe stretched a little. "I hate being a teddy bear," He complained. "When I'm done will that kid, I'll never have to spend another day as Mr. Shutthefuckupie, or whatever my stupid name is." Tobe chuckled. "Heh. Shutthefuckupie. That's good." He picked up the knife who impatiently mumbled something about having to wait to long and lifted it above his head. The book emerged from somewhere within the rock and floated open to Tobe's page. "How did you do that?" Tobe asked the knife. "It's not very hard. I have easy access to all my owner s things." Tobe nodded. "That sounds interesting. Maybe when I'm done humiliating Garu you can whip me up my stereo and some of my CDs. I could use some party music when I'm done, getting my vengeance on Garu." Tobe centered himself on the rock with the knife lifted high in his hand. "Garu, enemy of mine who's right and just in thinking so, let your torment be know threw out the land, that you're under my command, and your shame be wrought threw you like a spear. Speak your mind and inner most thoughts, say the things that you would never, and speak your true feelings with the forking of lies, let your mind be my open book that covers the world in my vengeance!" As Tobe finished his reading and the sky grew a dark blood red, Garu and Abyo reached the top of the mountain. "Ah Garu, just in time. In time for your humiliation!" Tobe shouted as Garu and Abyo exchanged confused looks. In no time however there confused looks would be replaced with looks of fear as sky above them opened up and began to suck them in. "Oh my God!" Naked Stevie said, jumping out of the pond and grabbing his underwear. "That vortex is sucking them up!" He exclaimed, sliding his legs threw Pikachu covered underwear. "Who's them?" Gura asked, also getting out and grabbing his underwear. "We gotta hurry!" Stevie said, hoping up the side of the peak as he desperately tried to get his pants on. Gura collected his close and fallowed Stevie in his underwear back up the hill. By the time they got there Stevie had his pants on backwards and his shirt tangled up over his head. Gura just stood in his underwear in amazement as Tobe grabbed onto a rock, Garu grabbed onto a tree, and Abyo grabbed onto Garu's ankles. As Stevie pulled his inside out shirt down over his face the five got sucked into the swirling crimson sky in a great gust of wind. And then there was darkness. 


	10. Chapter 10

Garu opened his eyes. Swirling around him was a dark blue haze that wrapped over his body and incased him like a second skin. He turned and looked around at the darkness. He stumbled forward, stretching out his hands and making sure that he wasn't walking into anything. "Is anyone there?" A quivering voice asked the darkness. Garu wanted to comfort the voice, to say that he was there. He recognized that voice from somewhere, but he couldn't quite place it, and dared not say a word at risk of breaking his vow of silence. He could hear the sound of something moving swiftly up a head. He reached out and tried to clear his mind to the sounds, but he still could not see. He listened intently to the sound of scurrying, until a blaring sound like that of a train's whistle rang out in his ears. He grabbed onto his head, biting his lower lip in agony as the sound felt as though it where going to split open his skull. Hot breath beat on his right shoulder with the smell of rotting meat. "Say something you little fuck." A voice scoffed as the ringing disappeared. Garu turned around to face the unknown voice, but his thoughts where quickly interrupted by the first voice's cries of distress. "Help me! Please! Anybody!" Garu turned around again, springing forth to save what sounded like a frightened child in need. Suddenly two firm hands gripped onto Garu's arms and held him back. "Where do you think you're going?" A voice spat out at him, filling his ear with it's hot rank breath. "Do you really think I'm done with you!?" It hollered at him, splattering his face with hot slimy spit. "Bring up the house lights!" The voice blared. The room lit up with white light, exposing it to be just that. A room deprived of any doors or windows. Something from behind Garu still held him back, breathing it's fowl breath on him. Four white curtains stood erect in front of Garu. "Pull curtain number one!" The voice in his ear croaked. The curtain opened itself to reviled Stevie bonded by his hands tied to his feet and blind folded, three small dogs licking and nipping away at him. "Do you see them?" The voice asked Garu. "They are not what they appear to be. If I remove his blind fold then he'll see what they really are. Do you wish to look threw Stevie's eyes?" The voices hissed, and Garu nodded. Suddenly the dogs transformed into monsterus creatures with horns like that of bulls and faces small and sunk into their heads with small tight wrinkles and pushed in deep golden eyes. One of them opened it's mouth to show Garu's it's razor sharp tusks. "Please help me." Stevie's voice quivered. "Please master Tobe. I don't wanna die!" He cried loudly. "I don't wanna die!!!" He screamed in a chocked manor, gasping for breath and making whimpering noises as his body shook. Then the blind fold was gone. Stevie's body violently shook as he screamed at the top of his lunges, trying his best to fight off these demons. Garu too tried to escape the tormentor's clutches and save the boy, but he could not break free. "Master!!" Stevie wailed as the creatures went in for the kill. Once more they where lap dogs scampering away unaware of what they've done. Garu desperately wanted to say something, but his eyes only filled with tears as he looked onward to Stevie's now lifeless body. His arms lay vacant by his sides, no longer tied to his feet. The boy's mouth hung open almost off it's joints, and his face; frozen in sheer terror, twisted and blood splattered from an unseen wound. His eyes showed no life, only fear and the stillness of a painful heart attack. His limp body remained unchanged as the curtain drew over it. 


	11. Chapter 11

"Aren't I a monster?" The voice asked Garu. Garu still tried his hardest to escape, but with no luck. "Let's see the second curtain!" The raspy voice ordered as the second curtain flew open. Abyo was bond naked by shackles around his arms and legs, holding him upright. Around his neck was a leather collar and a chain to hold his head in place. "Garu! Help me!" Abyo screamed as fear overtook the preteen. "Your best friend will now pay for the misdeeds you've done with his own body. Care to watch?" The tormentor asked, holding Garu's head so that he had no choice. A skeleton dressed as a nurse entered from the right, a small bag around it's waist. "Garu, you have taken a vow of silence and wounded the bonds between you and those who love you. Is this true?" The voice asked. Garu nodded unsure and the nurse took out a needle and thread from it's bag. "The crime is emotional distance. The penalty is share the pain!" And with that the nurse began to stitch up Abyo's lips. Abyo screamed and cried in a mixture of terror and pain, but it did not stop until both of Abyo's lips where stitched together. Garu could only watch in sorrow as Abyo's eyes cried out to him in painful tears of fear. "Garu, you have obtained honor by deceit. Your girlfriend cheats for your victory and you turn a blind eye because it gives you honor. Is this true?!" The voice asked Garu who hesitated before nodding as a light blush spread over his face. "The crime: honor scamming! The penalty...literalment!" The nurse removed a pocket knife from her sack and began slowly cutting away at Abyo's right eye. His muffled screams of horror resonated though out the room and echoed off the walls as the demon slowly cut away at his iris and then the rest of his eye, until only a bloody socket remained. "Now the other one!" The voice laughed and the 'nurse' obeyed, once again cutting and scooping out the boy's left eye. When the task was done it simply put the tool away and waited for it's next assignment. Warm green trickled down Garu's mouth and landed on his shoes like the tears fell to the floor. "Garu, you have committed mental dishonorment in the form of masturbating to the image of young girls. Is this true?!" The voice asked. Garu shook his head 'no', but the voice did not believe him. "You now lie to me? Very well, I was only being nice my asking you anyway. The crime: mentally cheating on Pucca! The penalty: prevention!" The nurse removed a length of wire like a guitar sting from her bag and began sawing away at Abyo's lower half. Hitting the floor with barely a sound it fell in a pool of blood as the nurse put away her latest tool. "Garu, you have taken the life of a few of Tobe's ninjas! Is this true?" The voice yelled in Garu's ears. Franticly Garu shook his head 'no', fearing for Abyo's life. "Hack off the boy's fingers!" The voice commanded. The nurse took out a medical bone scissors and began snipping off Abyo's fingers from the knuckle up. Abyo's tormented scream where mostly contained by his sealed mouth, but still they where as loud as Stevie's. "Answer me!" The voice boomed. Tears ran down Garu's face as he nodded, short scared breathing noises rose out from his mouth and nose. "Very well we have a confession. The crime: murder. The penalty...AN EYE FOR AN EYE!" The voice blared. The nurse tighten the collar around Abyo's neck until the now blue faced boy fell limp in his hold. As the room darkened slightly the curtains once more closed over another gruesome scene. 


	12. Chapter 12

Garu couldn't take it anymore, struggling as hard as he could to break free of the madman's grasp, but still it was no use. He held Garu tight and wouldn't even let him turn around to face him. "Do you see the pain you're causing them?" The evil voice spoke softly in Garu's right ear, so close that he could feel the hot air and dry lips on his ear lobe. "There's not much here left to do. But I'll let you and your brother go free, and all you have to do is scream out his name." Garu turned his head and bit harder on his lower lip until his blood ran down like his tears, but still he refused to speak. "As you wish." The voice hissed, and up went the third curtain. Gura stood blind folded tied with rope like Abyo had been, only his neck wasn't. "Now Garu, are you ready for the climax?" Gura cried and fidgeted as the blind fold was removed by what appeared to be Garu. "Big brother!" Gura shouted, wriggling in an attempt to free himself. "You wanted me to talk so badly, didn't ya?" The fake Garu asked. The real Garu also tried again for freedom, but once more to no avail. "Forget it kid. He can't see us. Just sit back and enjoy the show!" Gura stared wide eyed at the imposter. "Yeah Garu I did but-" His sentence was cut off by Garu number two's angry look. "I can't believe you would be so selfish you little shit!" The fake Garu swore. "You have to be the worst baby brother ever." Gura's eyes took on a look of sheer shock as his new highly audible tears began to flow. "Garu how could you say that?!" The boy cried. "There's only one way to make it up to me," Suddenly Gura's arms where no longer tied. Garu handed him the knife. "Garu...?" The boy hiccupped. "Kill yourself. You want me to love you again, right?" The fake Garu's snake like tongue shot out of his mouth, but only for a split second before jetting back in. "Garu..." Gura whispered, lifting the knife high above his chest. In an instant Garu lost it and began screaming. "Gura! Gura stop! Gura I love you! Gura!!" Garu's body twisted in the clutches of the strong hands. "I told you you'd do what I wanted. I always get my way." The voice sneered. "You..." Garu voice trailed off. "You bastard!" He shouted. Garu up to his right as much as he could, desperately trying to see the face of his captive. "Can somebody please tell me what the fuck is going on here?" A raspy voice questioned. Garu turned around to see a man wearing a white sweatshirt and white sweet pants. On his head was a white hat, covering up his brown buzz cut. The man appeared as though he hadn't shaved in days. It was then that Garu noticed the man's arm piecing right threw the fake Garu's chest, his fingers wrapped around the knife. Gura was still tied up, passed out from shock. "Again, what is going on here? Don't make me ask a third time Xero." The man said, his voice irked and ridged. "Well you see, these kids fell into my realm and-" "So you mean you killed them?" He asked. Xero had no reply, just dropped Garu and backed into the shadows. "This isn't what I meant by take some time off, enjoy yourself. Do you realize that you're stepping into my territory? Into my home? Using my forbidden knife?" In the darkness Xero was only a pair of quivering yellow eyes like that of a cat. "Well you see, this isn't what it looks like!" The man turned to Garu, who by this point was crying over Abyo's body whitch now just lay there on the floor. "Hey kid, tell me that these guys where already dead." Garu whipped tears from his eyes and shook his head. "Don't talk much do ya?" The man asked. "He's taken a vow of silence." The third curtain said. Garu could recognize Tobe's shaky voice. "Garu, please tell me Stevie's alright?" Tobe sobbed. Garu grunted and shook his head. Tobe's loud sobs rang out in the half lit room as the man looked angrily at the nervous eyes. "They wont remember how they died. They'll think that they all passed out from eating mushrooms on the mountain or something. They'll remember everything but the images of their pain." Tobe quitted down. "Does that mean that they'll live and wont remember anything?" The man nodded. "That's what I just said." Tobe laughed nervously. "Then in that case Garu, I can tell you that I'm wearing a pair of your underpants!" Tobe laughed. Garu turned around red in the face. "We'll all remember what we said, just not the macabre part." The man said wiggling his fingers in mind air. "Oh." Tobe said softly embarrassed. "Can I take that back?" The man nodded. "Sure, sure, fine, whatever." He said, waving his hand in the air. Tobe laughed nervously. "Then in that case Garu-" The man put his hand up as a signal to stop. "Trust me kid, you don't wanna say that." Tobe was quite. "They'll all be fine, now go." The man said. As darkness began to overtake Garu's vision he could faintly hear what they had to say. "It was those vines that put called you here wasn't it?" Xero asked. "It doesn't matter that he did. The fact remains that you're in a lot of trouble young man." Then Garu woke up.

::Epilog::

Something was touching him. Alone in a warm embrace he could feel a soft form close to him. In the darkness of his bedroom Garu could somewhat make out the form another body next to him. In the pitch blackness Garu stood up and felt his close. He was in his pajamas. He wondered to himself if it was only a dream. Slowly and carefully Garu wandered over to the light switched and turned on the lights. Gura was sleeping soundly in Garu's bed and Abyo slept in a sleeping bag on the other side of him. Garu sighed and shut off the lights, laying back down next to his little brother. Gura stirred, looking over groggily at his brother. "Goodnight Garu..." He said softly. Garu smiled, getting comfortable. "I love you." Gura whispered softly, snuggling up to his brother. "I love you too." Garu mumbled, moving closer to his sleeping brother. "And don't ever forget it." In the ninja room that was now only Stevie's and another ninjas bedroom, Stevie got out of bed. He stretched in his digimon PJs, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. He saw a light flooding out of the doorway coming from down the hall. He fallowed it to the semi-open door of Tobe's room. "Master Tobe?" Stevie asked, still half asleep. "It's two a.m.," Tobe had his back to the ninja, chuckling softly sitting on the floor in the dim lit room. "Master Tobe?" He asked, walking over to his master. "Soon Garu, soon..." Tobe mumbled. The hair on Stevie's neck stood on end as his bright frightened blue eyes fixed on the skull-tipped knife in Tobe's hands. 


End file.
